


When you assume

by merinxD



Category: Free!
Genre: AU, M/M, makoharu - Freeform, university romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-06
Updated: 2015-01-06
Packaged: 2018-03-06 09:03:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3128843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merinxD/pseuds/merinxD
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haru has some issues to work out and he is going to do it at Tokyo University. He thinks that he can do it alone, until he meets someone named Makoto who smiles much to big and makes Haru feel different to numb. Haru has some learning to do when it comes to people, and friendship, during this adventure. Haru is going to find out that people are not always what you think, and that home is where the heart is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> unbetad

It’s way too bright outside the Uni. The sun shines down harshly over the courtyard and I regret leaving the administration building. There are people everywhere, and I’m shoved left and right as a group of returning students push through the entranceway. I guess I should step out of the way.

I don’t. More people push by me and I let them. I feel the weight against my shoulders as more warm bodies pass.

Funnily enough, I still feel like I’m the only person here.  

“Two pm.” I read my watch. I exhale deeply and cover my eyes with my forearm, then, I step into the light. I’m trying to find my room – have been for a while - though I can’t make out the complimentary map. The information desk suggested that I download the app,  _of course_. I didn’t bother telling them that I don’t own a phone. I used to, but my Gran was my only contact. After her heart attack the calls stopped, and so did the occasional texts. My phone was always charged but it never rang…

 In the end, I got tired of waiting for her to call. Sometimes I’d expect her too, even, because I’d forget…

Anyway, I threw the phone away in the end.

That is also a part of the bigger story, and explains why I’m here, accepting this media scholarship and moving to Tokyo. I came because I want to make my Gran proud, and I want to make films. There’s other stuff to about me as well, I suppose. I’m 20, dark hair, blue eyes, thinner than I should be, and I don’t like tedious conversations.

  
My name is also Haru Nanase and I want to explore moments through film. Like, real, deep, intrinsic, sticky, moments…

And subtle events that are like covert bombs, too.

Yeah, a moment can change a lot. A turn left, instead of right, can result in a different ending. Though, I can’t film the ending by itself. The way there is just as important, if not more. I want to find the moment before the end – that split second of perfection that is different for each individual - and I want to capture it - if that’s possible…

Gran said that a moment becomes a memory, and for me it feels like one stretched out event. My moments don’t feel singular. In truth, I’m not sure where a moment begins and finishes. For example, right now, I’m in a moment. Though, how am I supposed to tell when this moment passes by?

Has it ended now?

 Or now?

Has another moment started?

“Excuse me, are you okay?” A voice pulls me from inside my head, and a hand reaches out to touch my shoulder.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I sigh unconsciously, sounding terse, and turn to face the new comer.

“You don’t look fine.” A young guy, around my age, with dimples and green eyes grins at me. He looks like he might be troublesome.

I can feel my eyes narrowing, but I shouldn’t waste this opportunity.

“I’m looking for my room.” I respond.

“I can help.” The brunet replies, and he reaches for the crumpled up paper work held in my grasp.

I hand it over, and I watch as the guy reads my information.

“Haru.” He says underneath his breath, obviously reading my name. “What room are you in?”

“Uh.” I fumble for the form I was given. I thrust it at him, and he turns it the right way up.

“That’s a coincidence.” He says, and I watch him as his bites his lip in seeming thought. “This is my friend’s room. You must be his replacement room mate.”

“Okay.” I respond, just to mark my understanding. If he could show me the way then this conversation could be over.

“I’m Makoto, I live across the hall from you.” The cheerful guy grins, and he holds out his hand for me to take. I accept it, even though I think hand shakes are unsanitary and weird.

“Haru.” I respond, and we stand there for a moment longer, hands no longer shaking but yet to let go. Of course, I don’t realise that I have stumbled upon something – a moment in the making. I never do realise at the time.

Perhaps I will notice later on…

You know,

when this becomes a memory…

"Are you going to show me the way, or not?" I ask, effectively ending the physical contact. 

The brunet grins and I find that I’m strangely unsettled by it. 

"Yeah. I’ll sort you out." Makoto assures me. 

The tightness in my chest - the constant dull anxiousness - lessens a little and I breathe in deeply while I can.

"What are you waiting for?"

"Oh! Yeah. Sorry!"

Maybe Makoto is an idiot.  


	2. Chapter 2

They say that it takes a month for a place to feel like home, or start to. It’s been two months since I’ve come to university, to this dorm, and it still doesn’t feel like my space. For the first time in my life, I’m located in the city, which has little resemblance to the seaside that I’m used to. The people that I meet are different too. Unlike home, where a small town attitude resides, Tokyo is full of people with differing views and ways of the world. Subjectivity doesn’t seem to exist where I come from, and it makes me stand out. Here, though, life is held up in contextual glory, and we are asked to determine the meaning. I’m not certain, but this betterment of self might be a journey that takes me further from my home than intended; Tokyo may take my small town heart and warp it until I’m one of them. This place would be my home then if that were to happen - Until I’m forced into another change that I’m not ready for.

To be fair, I’m never ready for change, even when I’m waiting and expecting. Like now, I’m waiting for something to happen and over thinking everything, when I should be eating breakfast. I have a meal plan, and it’s lucky too since Rin eats so much. 

That’s the guy that I room with. We have agreed to go halves in mini fridge food, but he usually eats it on me. Despite his snack habits, he’s an all right guy…from what I know. You know how it is - I keep to myself, but I know some about him. For example, Rin says that he’s from a small town near mine, though he acts like he’s a foreigner; all full of confidence. His attitude seems like it comes from the streets, and Rin probably likes to think so as well. Though, I know the truth. Makoto told me that his family is close, and Makoto is close with them. Anyway, the closest that Rin has been to a gangster is at the cinema, and his attitude is not from hard circumstances.

I stop peering into the empty fridge and wonder why Makoto told me about Rin. It isn’t like I asked about him. Pointless conversation, I guess.

Anyway, Rin isn’t so bad. He likes to complain a lot, and drinks all of the milk.

I don’t eat a lot of dairy, while Rin seems to sustain himself completely off top ramen and milk. I’ve never had a lot of instant food either, primarily because I’ve never needed to eat it. I know how to cook, after all.

 My watch beeps and I know that I’m going to be running late.

“Shit.” I murmur, grabbing my satchel. My camera is secure and I’ve got everything that I need.

My stomach grumbles.

Well, everything except food.

“ _Haru_. _”_ Makoto’s muffled voice comes through the door and I open it swiftly.

“I’m late.” I say flatly, and Makoto doesn’t look fazed. He is wearing one of those typical rich boy outfits and his smile looks like he has not a care in the world.

“Breakfast?” Makoto asks me, and he holds out a container of steamed fish and rice.

“Mm.” I respond, taking the food from his grasp. “Rin ate my breakfast.” I inform him, and Makoto nods like he already knows.

“That is very Rin.” He says, and then steps back into the hall. I follow him and lock the door.

“Why are you walking with me?” I ask, unaccustomed to Makoto being around in the mornings. As far as I was aware, Makoto mostly has night classes.

“I had to switch classes. Times didn’t suit me.” He replies easily, and yet it somehow seems evasive. “You have sociology now, right?” Makoto asks.

I can feel my eyes narrow, “Yes.” I say, and I continue to look straight ahead.

“Thought so, that’s why I chose it.” Makoto admits, and he doesn’t even seem a little embarrassed. I’m surprised at his confession, and I’m feeling something quite strange; my chest has grown a bit tight.

“Why would you change to a class that I’m in?” I ask directly, stopping in my tracks. I have obviously forgotten that I should use tact in a situation such as this. Some people say that I’m too straightforward. Usually I’d say that those people can go fuck themselves, Makoto though, he is different.

“So that we can hang out some more. Plus, sociology is pretty cool. I bet you do a lot better than me at it.” Makoto grins, and I’m sure that I’m being paranoid. There’s no reason for him to leave out information, and this is probably just my half-baked God complex coming out.

“You know, if you want to eat that before lecture starts we should hurry up.” He tells me, and I nod sharply.

That’s right, I almost forgot that we are going to class.

We start walking again and I find myself asking,

“Is this going to be a regular thing, you and me hanging out?” I try to keep my face from making its default scowl, and I look to the side because I’m feeling uncomfortable.

“I know I’d like that.” Makoto says openly. I’m not looking at him, but I can tell that he has a little smile on his face; not full blown and ecstatic, but like he is thinking. Which makes me wonder - What is there for Makoto to think about?

“You wouldn’t mind, would you Haru?” Makoto asks me as we turn onto the hallway that we are required to be at.

“I suppose not.” I respond, feeling backed into a corner. What would a person like Makoto want with someone like me? I’ve been wondering this since the first time he arrived at my room, two months earlier.

I’ll probably still be wondering when this place eventually starts to feel like it’s mine, when this is home and I can be here without feeling trapped.

I resign myself to the fact that I’m emotionally stunted and need to learn to recognize a friend when they are waving a gigantic flag in front of my face.

I’ve yet to decide if friendship is over rated, or too annoying.

“Did you take any good pictures last night?” Makoto asks me as we sit down at an empty cluster of seats, and I pull out the still warm container from my bag.

Makoto is sneaky and seems to know me without much trouble. Just like that, I forget my worries about friendship and belonging, and I start to talk about the candid scenery I captured the night before.

“It was successful.” I begin.

Talking about my craft…now that feels like home.


End file.
